The return of the Chopper: Raleigh announces iconic 1970s bike will return

[@martinhambleton5076]

I bought one myself. I saved and saved. When I had enough money, I walked 5 miles into town and parted with 35 very hard earned pounds, went to Currys, and rode it home. A few weeks later, the side stand broke off from the frame. I cycled back to Currys in panic. They were very good about it, changing the bike for me on the spot. I absolutely loved it, and it was always immaculate with car polish and solvol autosol on the chrome.

[@pc3983]

I had one in 1976 and loved it. I did my paper round on it and used it till I started work in 1980. Great fun👍

[@streetlife8461]

I had one and took it to school to take my cycling proficiency training on it. I remember the police officer who was doing the training, say to me that they didn’t like the Chopper as they didn’t consider it safe, as you could end up going through the handlebars if you braked hard. I still passed the cycling proficiency as we all did lol

[@wakinguptothetruth.2566]

I had a red MK2 chopper,got it for Xmas when I was 10 in 76, I loved it so much,still the best Xmas present I have ever got, my mum and my 2 sisters,clubbed together to buy me it, I got new grips,front and rear light,the summers where great with my friends,one of my friends had a chopper bike,one had a grifter,so much fun,happy days. I wish they would make an adult size one,with pedal assist,I would buy one in a heartbeat! I have a mountain bike now,still love going out on my bike especially in the summer.

[@tilerman]

When i clicked on this i was wondering how long before H&S got mentioned. Didn't disappoint.

[@marineboy1964]

I had a mark 1 in sky blue with the long seat and the round gear knob with 3 R's on top I was on that bike for most of the 70s

[@ShaamoneHeeHee]

My brother had a yellow one and I had the purple one in the 70's. Full CHiPs front fairing, and CB aerial with flag on the back. Very 7 year old 70's cool 😂

[@metalmick]

A mate of mine had the mk1 in about 1969/70. The handlebars could be angled back towards the rider, the seat was longer, it had a gear knob, not a t bar gear changer and the upright between the rear wheel hub the seat didn't have a kink in it. Yes, I am sad for remembering all this!

[@HouseMartin]

.. and it weighed twice as much as the mk2 making it very hard to keep up with your mates!

[@Cupat1]

No you're not sad I remember it too, I guy in my street had the mk1 I too still remember all the parts you say. I had the purple mk2 with the fixed bars and shorter seat, ah memories and bloody good ones 😊

[@Bob-ts2tu]

I have the same memories lol, so must make me sad as well. I remember the kid in our street wouldn't let anyone have a go on it, so i never rode one !!

[@j.dmetalhead7517]

I always wanted a Chopper as a kid

[@derekcoe9633]

Passed my Cycling Proficiency Test on a red Chopper back in 1976 😊

[@deadfishboy]

Lend us a grand please! I rode mine down Ravensworth Road Bulwell one 80's summers day, not paying attention and ran into the back of an Austin Princess! Over the bars, over the vinyl roof, bonnet and back onto me feet! Good old Chop was firmly wedged upright under the back bumper! Absolute class! 🤣🤣

[@Mr.Wrong1]

I had a red Tomahawk first which was essentially a mini Chopper without the gears and then got the purple Chopper when I got a bit bigger. Fantastic bikes. Fantastic memories. Not sure what the bloke is on about near the end though. Changing gears and steering one handed was absolutely no bother at all. All the hedges near us were completely free of morons not able to ride a bike properly.

[@follyfour506]

I had a Chipper and my sister had a Budgie.

[@richy69ify]

He actually called the bike "The Raleigh" 🤷🏼‍♂

[@jimmorrison3756]

Used to have two Choppers and Two Grifters great bikes in the 80's these wonderful memories seeing this bike again 👌

[@doctorsocrates4413]

One called the striker as well and then there was the budgie which was similar to the chopper.

[@follyfour506]

​@@doctorsocrates4413 Don't forget the Chipper and Boxer and the Commando.

[@doctorsocrates4413]

@@follyfour506 i just stuck with the chopper lol

[@julianmorris9951]

I wish they’d let kids be kids today instead of making them afraid of their f**king shadows 🙄

[@maxthelab8457]

I had an identical purple one for Christmas as a kid - it cost my mum a whole weeks wages!

[@Karl_Burton]

I could never understand why a company hadn't made an adult sized one. And not for £950.

[@jfro5867]

Yea I was thinking just the same. I’m 54, if it was adult size I’d buy one today and ride it this afternoon.

[@Karl_Burton]

@@jfro5867 Same, but 56. Love one, but don't want to lean down onto the handlebars

[@Bob-ts2tu]

you would like an adult sized chopper? give your head a shake m8 lol.

[@Karl_Burton]

@@Bob-ts2tu No

[@stevezodiac491]

​​​@@Bob-ts2tuI've got an adult sized chopper, the wife thinks it is astounding ! Bought a normal one on line as well and a 70's height sissy bar and I love that ! - 64 year old boomer.😊

[@elledurnan]

Screw health and safety … get this bike made and for sale at £100 a bike. It was affordable for working class families then and should be now. Brilliant bike. Great to modify as a kid : same comments for the Grifter, although lighter would be cool. Mr Clipboard piss off and let fun be fun!!!

[@Karl_Burton]

Adult sized one. £950 - they're having a laugh.

[@leehambleton9919]

I had one of these when I was a lad also had a Griftder watching this brings back a lot of memories

[@billienomates1606]

Now bring out a uk legal e-bike chopper and you might sell a few more. I would certainly buy one. Although I might actually just put a kit on one. £950 is having a laugh though.

[@flatspider]

100% e chopper … big in the north

[@Karl_Burton]

It needs to be adult sized. And not £950 fucking quid

[@Markycarandbikestuff]

Good to see they have retained the gearstick and long seat, better than the horrid MK3 Chopper they released a while back. Bought a project MK2 1977 Chopper about 13 years ago for £175, restored it and sold it in 2020 for £800, tried it round the block a few times rode fine but TBH I felt (and probably looked) like a prat (I'm 52), enjoyed restoring it but it had to go. Liked how the original colors had names like Ultra Violet (Purple) and Fizzy Lemon (Yellow) very 70's.

[@redmille1000]

I had a Grifter, the last time I saw it it was being used as an anchor for the QE2!

[@kwai6825]

Loved this bike was my first in late 70

[@glenbooth7903]

Dammmm I miss mine and I'm 60 😂😂 had twin tank aerials on the hoops blue fur on the angle bars 😂😂 in red as well

[@SlackHoffman]

I had a purple Raleigh Chopper 1977

[@dickyboyryw]

Wow.. Lol.. So many fun memories of the late 1970s early 80s. Brilliant idea!!!!!!

[@timmortimer6267]

I loved the people you interviewed- well found

[@petermitchell421]

Listening to these moaners what a shame the film makers didn’t interview the proper Chopper fans who will buy in droves. I had one and rode it with no problems. Lovely bike.

[@johnross2924]

Never came off mine as a kid, I share your fond memories.

[@jfro5867]

Yea , that bike shop guy was a bit ‘wet’ wasn’t he…..come on man grow a pair

[@johnobrien8398]

I had one of these in the 1970s it was great fun to ride

[@B-A-L]

I didn't even know Raleigh still existed! I personally hated the Chopper but then the BMX came along and made it look alright!

[@ps1834]

I've still got 1 from 1976 red.i still ride it on canal towpath.

[@whu58]

I had the Mk1 3 gear model (Orange colour) in about 1973 (great memories), its a shame that Raleigh never completely re-designed a new one for todays market with electric assist for adults that was more practical.

[@paultowns9880]

I had an orange MK1. I wheelied that bike every where. Happy memories!

[@martinmouncher9825]

I'm now 55 and my first and only Chopper was back in 1982.... Loved it.

[@rachealstinnett5829]

Very good job 👍👍 beautiful bike

[@Toby_the_Glen]

The original version had the handlebars you could drop down low, this later version they were fixed upright.

[@deanbaza8581]

They weren't all that, crap to jump & wheelie, I was there, I know 🤣

[@robertmaccallum8390]

Well said ..... dreadful bike.

[@taxidude]

Going to sound a bit bitter and resentful here but I had 2 older sisters who always seemed to get whatever they wanted all year round. My birthday was in December and I was always told I'd get an extra big Christmas present which never really transpired until........... Mum got me a mk1 chopper and I felt so special.......... until my sister borrowed it some months later and lent it to a friend who fell off it bending the handlebars. It was never the same again. Odd how childhood memories can still make me angry. ;)

[@Karl_Burton]

Perfectly normal.

[@Omega30t2RG]

I had one of these in the 70s,but mine was 5 gears. I sprayed it silver in the early 80s because purple was no longer in fashion and silver was futuristic.😩

[@peterdudgon3830]

i had red 3 speed mate had 5 gear wanted one

[@phils2180]

Back in the early 70's I had a 5 speed BSA Sportsman racer and lusted after a Chopper until a neighbour got one and I had a ride on it. It was good fun for short runs and general hoooning around and a bit of a novelty but rubbish for "serious riding". After that I really appreciated the BSA.👍

[@halcyon289]

Yes indeed.

[@daveoneill8235]

Had the purple 5 speed Cracking bike. Mate had a grifter blue. Put 5 speed wheel in the back. Gear changer under the seat Happy days😂

[@club_rock]

THEY MAKE IT AGAIN ? THIS BIKE IS ICONIC 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@JONINXBOX]

I worked in a bike shop in the 90’s & 00’s and they brought the chopper back about 15 years ago.. they changed the gear changer from the middle to a regular one on the handle..

[@doctorsocrates4413]

My childhood in the 1970s would of been so incomplete without the chopper bicycle..it is a true icon of the 70s..

[@phils2180]

........and what about a Spacehopper?😂

[@johnleighdesigns]

Awesome I had one for some years back in the 1970s!

[@alfinpogform4774]

Would have bought one in a flash, just for display purposes, because I really wanted one as a kid but didn't get one. But that price? Well not a chance, but would be happy to pay a third of that.

[@tomf4547]

You can find classic ones for £500

[@craigkearns6425]

I had a blue mk1 back in the ‘70s, I loved it, great for performing wheelies but incredibly heavy bikes. I’m way too tall now but if they made an upscaled lightweight version I’d probably buy one.

[@richy69ify]

I don't remember them being heavy, the Grifter was though.

[@MrSongwriter2]

I’d love an electric grifter xl

[@joesmith1926]

I had a red one passed down from my uncle which my dad and I gave a mean black paint job. That gear change was known as the “nut shredder”, can’t believe no one has mentioned that 😂

[@phils2180]

That was the reason the shifter was moved to the handlebars. My neighbour bruised his plums a few times on his, nearly always when carrying a passenger which I don't think they were designed for! Strange that they've brought the stick shift back for the new model.

[@joesmith1926]

@@phils2180 there was a white plastic label with writing saying passengers prohibited, or something along those lines, in the crook of the L shaped seat. Everyone did it though. It was actually comfier for the passenger to face backwards!

[@yensabi]

I've still got mine some 50 years old it is now but it's in mint condition , I'll have to put the feelers out to find out what it could be worth , several grand I think... 👍

[@milleniumfalcon8654]

When I was at primary School i brought a chopper off my classmate for $60 for me & my 2 brothers,we were allocated days to ride & key to padlock,one morning I awoke to my brothers yahooing & having fun riding the chopper,they had tied a string to hold padlock on chain enabling them to ride it,I yelled Dad! Hahaha

[@originalsusser]

I had a metallic blue & silver decaled one as a 12yo in the mid 70s. I gave it to a mates boy in mid 80s who stripped it down & turned it into the coolest BMX

[@jonboylanx]

I want to see somebody enter the Tour de France on one.

[@PeterSmith-ls7ut]

Might struggle in the mountains

[@neilhamilton2621]

Look spot on really

[@johnnyjumpup859]

The Raleigh ultra burner black gold from 82 is pretty cool... but silver blue ultra burner from 82;..is the all time classic for me ...

[@tomf4547]

Blimey, I paid £500 for a classic 1974. Just like the one I had aged 12 🥰

[@terrybarton8388]

Great to here they’re still in Nottingham! I thought I’d read somewhere a few years ago they’d sold out and moved production to the far east?…..

[@Timemachine74]

They did it’s just offices and a warehouse in Nottingham the bikes are made in china 🥴

[@anthonyclarke5579]

My brother and I both had one, mine was yellow and his was green. It had a black knob for changing the three speed gears. You had to unscrew the gear knob or else it would get nicked at school. I think they cost around the £40-45 price (each). They weighed a ton, looked great and were bloody useless to race and steer. Not a death trap but certainly going that way. Happy days.

[@camptube7621]

I had an electric blue one. Loved it.

[@stumpusMaximus]

I remember my mate about 1977 riding downhill ahead of me in my Sturmey Archer coool normal bike with chain guard, no oil on my flares! And he got the wobble of death on the front wheel. Went right through it and landed on the handlebars, we thought he had broken his ribs but instead badly bruised them - those handlebars today are like cow/deer horns!

[@dastardlyexperiments]

Health and safety ruins everything. I bought some bungee straps for my motorcycle and they came with a safety manual, AND every strap had a warning label on it. FFS. What have we become.

[@Karl_Burton]

Oppressed

[@markeone]

These bikes were heavier than lead... I don't know what they made them from, but warnings to future generations. Don't try and lift it, or jump it.

[@algernonwolfwhistle6351]

I had a lovely, blue Mk1.

[@lahtal1]

My what a big chopper you have 😍

[@andyetheridge]

Smaller version i think was called the Chipper, my brother had one. I think another bike was a Tomahawk?

[@csedan510]

The P.R.'s mugged me for mine in Brooklyn, 1974. A sad day.

[@hardlines2635]

I had the very same one, purple, paid £58, went to school on it once, it got that much attention I didn’t go on it again. Sometimes it would just stop for no reason, the front wheel just locked up, came off it at least once a week. Great days.

[@tomf4547]

Purple was very exclusive mine was red. Almost 50 years later I bought a black one, it's purple under the black paint 😅

[@kyle8952]

Front wheel locking up meant you had the wheel in the wrong way around. Yes, really, Raleigh front wheels had a left and a right. One side was adjustable to tighten up the bearings and the other stayed still. If you put it in the right way around, the fork pressed down to stop it from unscrewing, but if it's in the wrong way around, nothing stops it from screwing on tighter until it seizes solid! It was a dangerous design because anyone could make that mistake, but it saved two washers and two extra nuts on each bike. Penny pinching!

[@johnbeaven8951]

I had a brand new Red MK2 Chopper in 1974 for my 10th birthday; it was my pride and joy. This is pure corporate greed as using an inflation calculator my 1974 bike which cost £33 should be £440 today. So they are charging over double what it should be. Also bear in mind the originals were all built in Nottingham by skilled workers probably earning a decent wage back then as it was the in the heyday of union strength. This is total greed.

[@nickwf70]

Yes made in China probably for less

[@stevezodiac491]

Not quite, with a shorter production run, no where near what they had in the 70's and an almost completely new design using old looks but with modern materials and nanufacturing techniques and you have got development costs shared over a smaller number of finished bikes to share the capital costs over, not just a simple calculation of inflation comparing prices then and now. Obviously there is a supply and demand element to pricing as well, wouldn't you if it was your product ?

[@steventhomas9461]

My sister had the Raleigh Striker which was smaller than the Grifter, i never had the Chopper i had the WoolWorths version which was similar but the rear reflector wasn't square they were 2 round reflectors on stalks that looked like rockets.

[@AndyPass1976]

I had a Striker! One day I left it outside the front of my house and someone knicked it.

[@McConnachy]

I loved the Chopper, but my parents couldn’t afford it, I got old 2nd hand bikes, that I saved for by picking tatties

[@philipatkinson7039]

Same here pal and back breaking for a kid. Kid's these day's wouldn't have a clue about grafting as a kid and also digging coal out of the railway embankment during the miner's strike 🙄

[@silveribis55]

It's pointless trying to bring this back....kids aren't riding bikes ....they on their phones and gaming!

[@lifeonmars99]

Raleigh Chopper MK2, Yamaha FS1E, hospital. Coming of age story, similar for many I suspect.

[@krazytroutcatcher]

Wasn’t the Chopper reintroduced around 8-10 years ago? I remember looking at one, and the quality was dire.

[@speedbird737]

I thought the new chopper version was released 3-4 years ago?

[@jonbeels8969]

The gear change leaver is the same as the tracker I had chopper copy

[@turbogigwoof2321]

To the boys that get one of these. Do you know what a cricket box is ..? Get one!

[@jamesmacleod671]

The chopper and the grifter were the bikes to own back in the day but my parents bought me a racer (peugeot) which I didn't mind, you could travel a lot further for little effort.

[@xfoolsgoldx]

I would like to see them make a modern version of Chopper that kids of today want to buy and ride.

[@UKPete]

Used to get a speed wobble very dangerous!. Loved it though till it was stolen outside the ABC in Ealing!. I thought the Dutch owned Raleigh now?.

[@kjm-ch7jc]

What percentage of it will be Chynese. ?

[@MyKharli]

I fitted ape hangers to an ordinary bike , nice upright riding position now for my old back and no weight on my dodgy wrists . 950 is price gouging , i bet there 50 in bulk from China .

[@imanenigma3348]

Had a metallic green one here in Australia when I was a kid, second hand of course. Most kids had 20 inch Malvern Star dragsters or copies. The 20 inch rear and the small 16 inch front wheel meant they handled like a pig. There is a reason dirt motorbikes went to a bigger front wheel. Fun fact, choppers had the larger headstock that 26 inch and bigger, normal road bikes had, so you could swap the chopper forks for larger ones and run the dragster sized 20inch front wheel with even more rake, for the full on custom cool factor. Could not do this with the dragster head stock. Looked the way the standard chopper should have looked like. Those Sturmee? Archer gears were way better than some of the other crap too.

[@curranhouse]

Everyone has a story about - yeah it goes like this.. I slipped off and smashed my nuts on the gearstick....😂😂😂

[@keithjohnson7677]

I love my bike. 950 pound two much.

[@robleary3353]

Where's the audio?...

[@JakobusRank]

We looking for the chopper in South Africa.

[@follyfour506]

I had a bike like a Raleigh Chopper called a Vindec High Riser. I used to get the piss taken out of me and then my dad got me a silver Chopper with luminous orange graphics from a guy in work. The bad part was the weight and the monkey chain snapping regularly .

[@GManWrites]

Britain truly has gone back to the 1970s.

[@fasthracing]

I had the Sprint version. Quite rare I believe.

[@sidecarbod1441]

They looked cool but they would go into a massive 'tank slapper' if you went too fast.

[@jfilm7466]

£950? Taking the piss

[@miclovin9927]

It was a very cool bike

[@deemdoubleu]

Mine was yellow and I crashed it a few times but I loved it.

[@stephenparker2202]

Yes I had one that very colour, I loved it, polished it, it always looked better than new but it was an awful ride, quite weighty poorly balanced, and don't even think about doing tricks on it as I tried, can't remember how many times I had to get up and dust myself down, but great times

[@crosseyedone7960]

Niceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. There will be those cashed up enough to buy one to hang on the wall. As for me, I'll continue to dream.

[@swskating3865]

A local kid had a sky blue 5-speed chopper.. I never had one tho 😔

[@turtle-gf6wv]

The chopper i had did not have the t bar shifter it was like a car knob but should make an adult one but for 950 i dont think so.

[@bobherbert4365]

Well spoken guests. England, charming?

[@seanoxborough5830]

£950 lol good luck with that

[@stevezodiac491]

It would seem that the chopper mark 4 is going to be more popular than this commentator thought. 2000 choppers sold on line from Raleigh after about one hour of the sale opening. Just after 1.00 p.m. all gone.

[@jessk4862]

please sale in usa can't wait 2 own 1 in evey color

[@michaelturner4457]

As a kid had an ultra-violet mk2 Chopper in 1973, when I was 10. I bought another mk2 in the early 90s for 20 quid, long before the prices went crazy for these things. Problem with me being 6ft, 2in, the thing was just to small to enjoy riding it properly, so I sold it on. After all the Chopper was designed for CHILDREN. So I assume this mk4 would still be too small for me?